1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to artificial firelogs and, more particularly, to an artificial firelog that produces a desirable scent as it burns. Specifically, the invention relates to an artificial firelog having a plurality of scented pellets distributed throughout the firelog that produce a desirable scent as they are periodically burned during combustion of the firelog.
2. Background Information
Various types of fuel bodies have been developed, most of which are formed of particulate flammable materials that are compressed into a predetermined shape. The particulate materials are combined with various binders that maintain the desired final shape of the fuel body. These fuel bodies may additionally contain various types of additives to enhance burning characteristics or to produce colored flames. Certain of these fuel bodies, and in particular the elongated fuel body referred to as a firelog, are formed of compressed sawdust, coal particles, or other combustible particulate materials. The particulate materials are combined with the binder materials to form a component mixture that is usually passed through a continuous extrusion process wherein the component mixture is compressed within an extrusion bore and is then cut into predetermined lengths to form artificial firelogs. The firelogs are then typically enclosed in a protective outer wrapper.
Artificial firelogs generate a desirable amount of heat and also create an aesthetically pleasing fire. Inasmuch as the vast majority of homes are built with furnaces or other heating appliances, artificial firelogs are desired for their aesthetic qualities to a greater extent than for their heat generation qualities. As such, much of the design and development efforts employed in producing firelogs are focused on the final aesthetic qualities of the artificial firelog. While various firelogs have achieved limited success with the aesthetic qualities they provide, such firelogs have not been without limitation.
Economically-priced artificial firelogs have heretofore been incapable of reliably producing a desirable scent while burning. Because artificial firelogs typically burn for several hours, a scent homogeneously distributed throughout the firelog would need to be formulated to burn at substantially the same rate as the particulate materials and binder materials to ensure that the scent-producing component would produce the desirable scent for the duration of the burning of the firelog. Moreover, a homogeneously distributed scent-producing material would need to produce a scent pungent enough to be smelled by the user as the firelog is slowly burned. Inasmuch as the scent-producing materials known and understood in the relevant art are substantially more expensive than the particulate material and binders used in manufacturing firelogs, the homogeneous distribution of the expensive scent-producing material in sufficient concentration that the user can smell the scent produced thereby for the duration of the burning of the firelog has been impractical due to the extreme expense involved. The need thus exists for an inexpensive artificial firelog that reliably produces a desirable scent that can be smelled by the user for substantially the duration of the combustion of the firelog.